Details

Edge computing (EC) – and there are several different versions/approaches – emerged on the wireless industry stage several years ago and especially in Western Europe. Edge computing has the potential to be as disruptive a technology as anything that is being discussed today – 5G New Radio, NFV/SDN, C-RAN, etc. In fact, EC is quite likely to help realize the promise of 5G particularly since the new 5G system architecture is designed to capitalize on virtualization. This is especially true in Western Europe, with its highly industrialized economies, established mobile operators, and highly developed wireless and mobile industry.

In this report, iGR defines an edge computing hardware platform as a secure, virtualized platform which can be “open up” to third parties – content providers, application developers, etc. That platform might incorporate an LTE radio (including the CBRS band), Wi-Fi, 5G NR or some combination of them. Today, most edge compute implementations use Ethernet and/or Wi-Fi and not cellular. Over time, iGR believes that will change as private LTE networks (primarily based on CBRS) get deployed and more 4G/5G-based IoT devices are brought to market.

In this report, iGR forecasts enterprise spending on EC-based solutions for the Western European market.

Key Questions Answered

What is EC? What are some of the other edge computing concepts?

How does EC work?

How does EC relate to other edge computing initiatives, such as OpenFog, CORD Project, Open Edge Computing (OEC), Open Compute, and EdgeX Foundry?

What can be done with EC?

What are some of the perceived benefits and issues related to EC?

What are some of the perceived negatives and issues related to indoor small cells?

What are the key drivers for implementing EC?

How many commercial buildings will have EC deployed?

How much enterprise spending is likely to occur on EC-based solutions in Western Europe?